Region 7 (Southeastern MN) Minutes

Date: Thursday, August 19th, 2010Time: 9:00 am – NoonPlace: Choice Home Care, Rochester, MN

  • The meeting was called to order by Pricilla Dudley, Chairperson.
  • Welcome and Introductions were made. Attendees’ were asked to share any agency news or updates. It was announced that Goodhue County Public Health Agency has closed.
  • The minutes from last meeting were reviewed and a correction was noted regarding the PCA steps for success training requirements for Medicare A Certified Agencies, they are exempt from the training, minutes from last meeting to be adjusted.
  • Neil Johnson, MHCA Executive Director shared MHCA updates. He spoke regarding the clarifications to the PCA Training requirements. PCA’s are to do the on-line training and once they receive a competency code, that code number is to be used when billing for the PCA services.

Neil encouraged the group to talk to our Legislators regarding concerns of the future for Home Care, Medicare and Education. Pat Jump has been involved with the legislators regarding education needs.

He cautioned that there is more scrutiny regarding Medicare and Medicaid. Agencies should be sure they are staying clean and doing what is needed correctly.

There has been talk that there are delays in payment and denial of payment for pediatric MA. There have also been noted delays in MSHO payments or denials as well. Members are to be sure and let Neil know if you have specific examples of issues with delay or denial of payment.

MHCA Care PAC(Political Action Committee) reminder that letters were sent to all members asking for participation or donation with the goal in mind to help support Legislators or candidates for office who show interest in Home Care. Members are encouraged to help with the grass roots efforts.

Updated MHCA Education calendars were shared.

PECOS discussion: VA Physicians also have to be enrolled in PECOS. Residents do not have to be enrolled in PECOS. Facilities can not bill Medicare if a Physician in not enrolled in PECOS. There is a CMS Website to use to verify Physicians enrolled in PECOS.

Presentation – Cheryl Beacom, May Discharge Planner:

Mayo Clinic in Rochester has 14 Discharge Planning Nurses (RN’s)& 60 Social Workers who are involved in more complex discharge planning needs such as Assisted Living, Home Care, Foster Care or outpatient IV therapy, etc. Unfortunately, the discharge planners are only able to serve approximately 30% of all patients in the hospital due to lack of FTE’s available. There is also multidisciplinary discharge planning coordinated by the patients floor RN’s. They use an open referral system. There are Social Worker’s available 24 hours per day.

The Mayo Clinic has made two large changes in their discharge planning process. Their goal is to have Multidisciplinary Discharge Planning Rounds on all floors daily Monday through Friday. Every hospital admission has a screen done to determine the need for discharge planning related to self care needs. Cheryl stated that it would help greatly if members would call and let the discharge planners or social workers know when home care is involved with a patient in the hospital. We can ask about a discharge planner on each floor. The discharge planning nurse’s secretary’s phone number is 507-255-5132. The Social Worker discharge planners are assigned to all patients who are discharging to an inpatient LTC facility. The largest barrier to quality discharge planning is poor communication or ill timed communication. They hope to improve the discharge planning process to decrease frequent recurrent hospitalizations. Kris Gillard is the Discharge Planner’s Supervisor. Members can send updated agency changes to her.

Next meeting will be October 21st, 2010, 9:00 – 12:00 at Choice Home Care, 2720 N Broadway, Rochester, MN

Respectfully submitted:

Donna McLaughlin, Secretary